Premier economy mix up...

[JulieHaydon]

My partner and I work very hard and we decided to treat ourselves to a holiday with seats in premier economy as we were flying long distance and my partner is tall.

Fine going out and we had a wonderful holiday.

Then coming back we were all sat down on the plane waiting to take off when parents got on with their young child. Again fine, if they've got the money to do that then good luck to them. A flight is public transport after all.

The problem was they boarded late and there was only two seats left. What the mix up was I don't know but as the child was four the flight crew would not allow him to be on one of his parents laps.

So they had the awful task of trying to get one or two people to swop down into economy to let them travel together in Premier - and no one would. We refused outright as did the other passengers. If it had been up to first class we and others would have gone like a shot but this was never on offer. Perhaps it was full.

It was the parents' attitude that amazed us. You'd think with a child they would have booked in early but they didn't they came late, and expected others to move to accommodate them. The woman was very large and said she needed a wide seat which was obviously true.

But as another passenger said "Why can't two people from economy be upgraded so that they can all sit together in cattle class? They were late after all so why should someone move when we've all paid so much more?" However they went on to refer to the mother as a "Fat lump with no manners, if you need a wide seat with your family then be on time boarding" which I don't respect - there's no need to be rude.

We were delayed for an hour because of them. I think they had to go down to economy to sit together as they wanted because two new people suddenly appeared and took their seats.

And I don't think this was unreasonable do you?

[forago]

and that, stinkle, is what would have really happened in the scenario the OP experienced made up

[Bearbehind]

At least I have the guts to post using my real name rather than the childish nicknames many people use on here. And I have the brains to give an opinion without swearing. Only stupid people do that.

I think you'll find only stupid people use their real names on Internet forums

In fact many explicitly tell you not to use your real name.

This is a really bizarre thread designed only to stealth boast it would appear.

A 4 year old would not have got on a plane without a boarding card so sitting on a lap would never have been an option.

[jay55]

Were they actually asking people to downgrade or just to sit in the seats downstairs that are still premium? Often virgin has 2 sections of premium economy upstairs that is 2-2 and downstairs 2-4-2 upstairs is roomier but they're all PE.

[JulieHaydon]

I've never said whether or not any member of the family had a boarding card or not. I don't know. I've never said I did.

[nowahousewife]

Well julie 'lapchildren ' are certainly allowed in club/business class on every airline I've travelled with, it's first where many airlines place restrictions on under 12's. Premium, hardly worth the extra money.

The whole thing sounds a little confused and I'm not really sure what the point of your post is. Family came on, mix up with seats, others asked to move, pax refused, crew didn't handle it effectively, flight delayed. Find it a bit hard to believe flight was delayed for this purpose crew should have been more directive, but otherwise, meh.

[Viviennemary]

We were asked to swap at check in and we agreed. But I don't think I'd agree again. We've taken our turn.

[DeepThought]

Hope your Facebook is locked down, madam.

[KatoPotato]

In fact it is that kind of superior attitude that makes me want to fly economy class rather than be sat next to a bunch of stuck up rude people who think they speak to people like shit as they've paid a few extra quid.


Absolutely msscoob

[GilmoursPillow]

Nah, if you're going to boast, at least do it from First or Biz rather than a travel class which still has Economy in its name.

[rhubarbcrumbleplease]

I wonder if the parents had booked/been upgraded as frequent flyers 2PE seats & 1 E seat & thought they could blag it once on board.
But how they managed to get on without boarding cards is beyond me.

[BeCool]

Imagine they did actually get on without boarding cards. Wouldn't you start a thread saying "how the fuck did that massive security breach happen?" rather than "they asked me to move and I said no"

[Bearbehind]

I've never said whether or not any member of the family had a boarding card or not. I don't know. I've never said I did.

You said that they wouldn't allow a 4 year old to sit on a lap. That could never have been a possibility- if the 3 of them had boarded the plane they must have each had a seat somewhere.

[slithytove]

Julie, was that an attack on me? Not sure.

Either way, I was saying that you DIDNT have an issue with the kid. See my post OP was at pains to say a child in PE wasn't the issue


Doh!

[slithytove]

You know what Julie, I was supporting you and defending you, no fucking idea why, you have shown your true colours I think.

[sparechange]

Julie there is no mainstream airline in the world that doesn't allow children in expensive seats, certainly not Singapore, who I have flown with regularly.

I've seen families with young children going into their First Class suites, and try telling any of the Middle Eastern airlines, which also have suites at £10k+ a ticket that they shouldn't have children in there and they will laugh at you.

Funnily enough, there was a book out a few weeks ago called 'confession of an air hostess' or something along those lines, by a former Virgin cabin crew and she said that people sat in Premium Economy were by far and away the worst passengers to deal with, as they have proper delusions of grandeur, but are only paying a little bit extra for their ticket.

[slithytove]

I bet OP won't come back.

[BeCool]

Lap sitting on flights is an option for the under 2's only.

Over 2's must have their own seat and have seatbelt on when the sign is on, for take offs & landing etc.

[HazleNutt]

Malaysia airlines banned babies from First class a few years ago, but I don't know if this is still their policy.

[AlpacaLypse]

[AgaPanthers]

4 years old is allowed though.

[SolomanDaisy]

What made you choose Mumsnet as the place to post your fantastic tale?

[Calloh]

OP, if it happened as you said YANBU. It would be very rude to have purposefully delayed a flight to get an upgrade that you are not entitled to, on the grounds that you have a child and are overweight.

It sounds like you weren't fully aware of the actual story so maybe there were other reasons and the passengers certainly shouldn't have been subjected to the fat-shaming.

As for premier economy being not really worthy of boasting of, the OP specified that she and her husband had worked hard for it, I think it is unnecessary to deride that regardless if whether you have flown a better class of travel or think that it is not worth the money.

Finally, I am assuming that Julie is not really your actual name, if it is it might be worth changing and deleting this thread.

[Vintagejazz]

If two new people suddenly appeared and took the last two seats, then it sounds as if the family hadn't booked into Economy Premium at all and were just trying it on.

[magoria]

I was on a flight once.

We all got on and there was an extra person on the head count to the number on the sheet.

They checked again.

And again.

They clearly couldn't take off with a +1 on board.

Then they went through and asked to see all of our boarding cards and passports and ticked us all off their sheet.

Then they stood at the front and started calling out names.

Despite yes me going through all the system and showing my boarding card and passport when asked they had failed to register me somehow.

The flight was held up over an hour while they sorted it out.

[ToffeeMoon]

Yes, OP, lap infants certainly can travel in business, that's why they have bassinets there. My la-di-da children have only ever travelled long haul that way - they'll get a shock once DH's company are no longer paying for their flights!